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Calvin Coolidge
President Harding dies suddenly. He is succeeded by his vice president, Calvin Coolidge. -
Lindbergh crosses the Atlantic
Aviator Charles Lindbergh completed the first solo nonstop transatlantic flight ever, flying thirty-four hours from New York to Paris. -
Stock market crashes
Stock market crash precipitates the Great Depression. The crisis began on October 24 and on October 29 the market experienced the greatest crash in its history. -
Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected president
With the Great Depression casting a shadow over the 1932 election, Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected president over incumbent Republican Herbert Hoover. -
Twenty-First Amendment ratified
Twenty-First Amendment to the Constitution is ratified, repealing Prohibition. -
Social Security Act
President Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act, which established benefits for the elderly, the blind, the handicapped, dependent women and children, and the unemployed. -
F.D.R. elected to 3rd term
He is the first and only president elected to a third term. -
Pearl Harbor Attacked
Japanese planes launched a surprise attack against the American naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Naval forces were severely diminished by the unexpected attack and more than 2,300 Americans were killed.
